1. Field of the Invention.
This invention relates to a mechanism for detecting the occurrence of a misfire in an automatic gun and for thereupon halting the further operation of such gun.
2. Prior Art
In a conventional, single barrel, selfpowered, automatic gun firing cased ammunition, when a misfire occurs, the gun stops in its operating cycle, sometimes after having unlocked the bolt. If the misfire is a true dud, the operator usually merely cycles the gun to eject the dud and to chamber and lock a fresh round. If the misfire is a hangfire and if the bolt is unlocked when the hangfire occurs, it may cause a wrecked gun.
In a conventional, single barrel, externally powered, automatic gun firing cased ammunition, when a misfire occurs, the gun continues its operating cycle. If the misfire is a true dud, the gun will eject the dud, and chamber and lock a fresh round. If the misfire is a hangfire and if the bolt is unlocked when the hangfire occurs, it will cause a wrecked gun.
Similar problems occur in multibarreled guns, and in guns firing caseless ammunition, whether using solid or liquid propellant.